Machine for pressing seams.



T. QUINN. MACHINE FOR PRESSING SEAMS. APPLICATION FILED APR.24, I916.

1 ,Q60,8 03. Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

2 .SHEETSSHEET I- lnvenTor.

Thomas Quinn b fiudMM A'itys.

T. QUINN. MACHINE FO'R PRESSING SEAMS. APPLICATION FILED APR.24. 191a.

lnv enror. Thomas Quinn bymwrrw Altys.

prirran snares earner @FFlQE.

trrroMAs'eUINiv, or MILFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR PRESSING SEAMS.

aeasos.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS QUINN, a citizenof the United States, residing at Milford, county of Worcester, State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Machines for PressingSeams, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawingrepresenting like parts. V

This invention relates to a machine for pressing seams by which twopieces or sections are sewed together, and while the iiivention iscapable of use for pressing seams of any nature, the embodiment hereinillustrated has been especially designed for use in pressing the seamsby which the different sections of a shoe upper are sewed together. Insewing together the different sections of the shoe upper or the piecesof many other articles, it is customary to place the two sections to besewed together face to face with the edges to be sewed together inalinement and then to unite the pieces by a line oftlirongh-and-through. stitches which extends along adjacent the alinededges. The two sections'thus sewed are then turned so that V the facesides of the sections come on the out- In the manufacture ofnianyarticles, it is desirable to press the seam when thus made so as toeliminate the rib which is formed by the seam and also to open out theseam 35 on the outer side sufliciently to show the threads. My machineis especially-designed for this purpose, and as stated above, while thedevice illustrated in the drawing is constructed especially to operateon the seams made in sewing together the parts going to make a shoeupper, yet the invention is not In the drawings, Figure 1 is aside viewof a machine adapted to press the seam formed at the back of a shoeupper;

Fig. 2 is a side view looking in the opposite direction from Fig. 1 g

Fig. 3 is a top plan View; Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4: 4, Fig. 2;Fig. 5 is a view showing two pieces of a shoe upper sewed together;

Fig. 6 shows these two sewed-together pieces opened out and illustratesthecondi-j form of an arm having a rounded upper tion of the seam beforeit is pressed;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 24., 1916. Serial No. 93,151.

Fig. 7 is a view showing the result of pressing the seam;

Fig. 8 shows the operation of my device in pressing a seam.

Before describing the machine, I will refer briefly to the character ofthe seam which it is designed to treat.

In Fig. 5 I have shown two pieces 1 and 2 of a shoe upper, these piecesbeing those forming the heel and ankle portion of a shoe. During theprocess of making the shoe, these pieces of shoe upper are placed faceto face,

as shown in Fig. 5, with the edges 4 thereof in alinement, and they arethen stitched together by a line of stitching 3, the stitches of whichextend through and through the two alined edges 4: of the sections 1 and2. In thus sewing the pieces 1 and 2, they are placed so that the outerfaces of the leather come together and when the two pieces are openedout during subsequent operations on the shoe, the seam will present theappearance shown in Fig. 6 in which the edges 4c form aninwardly-projecting rib.

Before the shoe is completed and ready for use it is necessary to pressthis seam so as to flatten O1 eliminate this rib, this being done byseparating the two edges 4: and folding them flat against the inner faceof the pieces 1 and 2, as shown in Fig. 7. i

The machine herein illustrated for thus pressing the seam comprises awork support on which the seamed article is supported and a combinedpressing and ironing roll which is moved longitudinally of the seam andwhich operates not only to separate the two edges 4 and press themagainst the inner faces of the pieces 1 and 2, but also operates to ironthe seam as it is pressed. This is accomplished by placingthe seamedarticle on the work support with the rib formed by the seam extendingupwardly therefrom and then passing the roll longitudinally of the ribso as to cause it to spread the edges thereof and roll them down againstthe inner faces of the pieces 1 and 2 and at the same time positivelyrotating said roll about its axis so that it has a surface speed greaterthan the speed of its advancing movement so that the surface of the rollwill produce an ironing effect upon the pressed seam. The work supportis shown at 5 and in the embodiment of the invention herein illustratedis especially adapted for pressing the rear seam of the shoe. Theworksupport is in the edge 6 that is preferably curved to correspond ingeneral to the curvature of the edges l of the two pieces 1 and 2. Thiswork support may be sustained in any suitable way and is herein shown assecured to a frame 7 by which the other parts of the mechanism aresupported. This worlcsupport or arm is mounted on a stud S secured tothe frame 7 and is provided with a foot portion 9 carrying two adjustingscrews 10 that engage a flange 11 extending from the frame, the purposeof these adjusting screws being to provide means for varying the angleof the arm 5 and for maintaining it rigidly in its adjusted position.

The combined pressing and ironing roll is shown at 12 and it is situatedabove the edge 6 of the work support 5 and is preferably made slightlyconcaved at its periphery. This combined presser and ironing roll isjournaled in a carrier constructed to move longitudinally of the arm orwork support 5, and means are provided for maintaining said rollinengagement with the arm or with the work supported thereby during itstraveling movement, and also for positively rotating the roll as itmoves and at a surface speed greater than the speed of the longitudinalmovement.

There are various ways in which the roll might be mounted foraccomplishing this result. One simple construction is herein shownwherein said roll is journaled in a holder 13 which in turn is sustainedby a carriage 14E constructed for movement longitudinally of the arm 5.The roll is shown as loosely mounted on a shaft 7 5 which is secured inthe lower end of the holder 13. The carriage 1 1 i herein shown asslidably mounted on a portion 15 of the frame 7 which extendssubstantially parallel to the work support 5 and is provided with meansfor guiding the carriage 14-. in its reciprocating movement. While thecarriage 14-. and the portion 15 of the frame may have any desiredconstruction by which the desired end is accomplished, I haveillustrated in the drawings a practical but simple construction. Theguiding portion 15 of the frame is provided with alongitudinallyextending slot 16 and the carriage 14: is formed at itsupper end with a flange 17 which overlies the upper edge of the guideportion 15 of the frame and said frame has secured thereto twolaterally-extending guide members 18 which extend through and operate inthe slot 16. In the construction shown, the guides 18 areirolls whichare loosely mounted on studs 19 that extend.

through the carriage 14 and through plates 20 and 21 on opposite sidesof the carriage,

.these pins 19 having nuts 22 screw-threaded to the ends thereof bywhich the plates 20 and 21 are tied together. Withthis con- 7 movementby the cooperation of the slot 16 and the guiding members 18. If theupper edge 6 of the work support 5 were made straight, as might be thecase if the seam to be pressed extended along a perfectly straight edge,then the pressing roll 12 might be secured directly to thecarriage 1 1,but where the edge 6 of thework support is curved, as shown in thedrawings, some provision is necessary to permit the roll 12 to followthe curved edge as the carriage moves longitudinally. I accomplish thisherein by making the holder 13 to which the roll 12 is secured capableof vertical movement in the carriage 1d. As herein shown this holder isin the form of a vertically-extending bar that extends upwardly throughthe carriage 14 and is capable of vertical movement therein. In order tomaintain this roll 12 in contact with the work, I provide the guideportion 15 'of the frame with a guiding edge 23 which has a curvedcontour similar but complemental to that of the curved edge 6. Theholder 13 is provided with a laterally-extending roll or stud 24f. whichengages the underside of the guiding edge 23 so that as the carriage 14is reciprocated longitudinally of the guide portion 15 of the frame, thecooperation of the roll at with the edge 23 will cause'the pressing andironing roll 12 to follow the journaled in the frame 7 and is providedwith a crank arm 26that is connected by a connecting rod 27 to thecarriage 14: so that rotation of the shaft 25 will give the requisitemovement to said carriage. I will preferably also provide a drivingmechanism for the shaft 25 which when set in operation will rotate saidshaft through one complete revolution and will then bring the shaft torest so that at each operation of the machine, the carriage l iwill begiven one complete reciprocation. The shaft'25 is shown as having a gear28 thereon which meshes with and is driven by a pinion 29 on a shaft 30which carries a driving pulley 31. The gear 28 is loosely mounted on theshaft 25 and a one-revolution clutch of any suitable construction, andwhich is shown generally at 32, is provided by which the gear may beclutched to the shaft. 33 is a clutchoperatspring.

be used, I have not deemed it necessary to illustrate in detail anyparticular clutch.

I have also provided herein'means for varying the pressure of the roll12 against the work. To properly press some seams make the holder'inwhich the roll is journaled in sections and interpose a spring betweensaid sections by which the roll 12 will be yieldingly held against theseam with a pressure determined by the tension of the In the illustratedembodiment of the invention the holder 13 is made with the upper andlower sections 40 and 41, the section 4-1 having the roll 12 journaledtherein. This section 41 is provided with a laterally-extending flangeor seat 42, and the upper section 4:0 is also provided with alaterally-extending flange 43. 4 1 is a spring which is interposedbetween said flanges.

Thisspring i shown as held in position at its lower end by a positioningprojection or stud 15 rislng from the flange 42 and atlts upper end itis received in a cap or housing 46 which is acted upon by a set-screw4:? op erating in the flange 13. By this means the tension of the springcan be adjusted so that the roll 12 will bear on the seam with anydesired pressure. This spring 44: also permits the roll 12 to yieldslightly if the work varies in thickness.

As stated above, the roll 20 not only rolls over the seam to press thelatter, asshown in Fig. 7, but it also is positively rotated.

about its axis during its movement longi-- tudinally of the work support5 and at such aspeed relative to the longitudinal movement that anironing effect will be produced. While various devices for thuspositively rotating the roll asit moves longitudinally of the worksupport 5 may be employed, 1 would prefer to use a construction by whichthe pos't ve rotation is derived from the longi I al movement of thecarriage 1 1. The construction shown in the drawings is a practical andetiicient device for accomplishing this. The roll 12 has fast therewitha pinion 48 which meshes with a gear 19 journaled on a Stud 50 that iscarried in. the section 41 of the holder 13. This gear 49 meshes with arack 51 which is held from longitudinal movement but which is permittedto move vertically as the roll 12 moves vertically in conformingto thecurved edge 6. Since the rack'51 has no longitudinal movement, it willbe seen that the movement otthe carriage it will cause the gear 49 to berotated aboutits axis and since this gear meshes with the gear 48, the

rotary movement. The relative size of the gears 48 and d9 is such thatthe presser wheel 12 is given a speed of rotation about its axis fasterthan that which would naturally be given to it by its rolling movementover the work and thus there is a slip page between the surface of thewheel 12 and the worrwhich produces an iron .i.i effect. The roll 12theretore not onl presses the seam, but also has the effect of ironingit.

In order to provide for the vertical movement of the rack, I propose topivotally connect the rack at one end to the frame, as shown at 52, andto maintain the gear 119 in mesh with the rack, 1 provide a strap member54 which is secured to the stud or sh aft 75 for the wheel 12, and alsoto the stiul or shaft 50 on which the gear 19 is mounted, said strap 5 1having a projecting finger or roll 55 extending from its upper end andoverlying the upper edge of the rack. In this way the rack and gear 419are always maintained in mesh with each other, regard less of thevertical. movements of the roll 12.

While I have illustrated the invention as adaptedtor pressing the rearseam of a shoe upper, yet it will be obvious that the mechanism may beused for pressing other seams. The particular shape of the work support5 may, of course, vary somewhat, depending on the shape of the seamwhich is to be treated.

1 claim 1. In a device for pressing seams, the combination with a worksupport, of a seampressing roll, means to move said roll over said worksupport, means to rotate said roll that the periphery of the roll willhave a sliding as well as a rolling contact with the seam to bepressedwhereby an ironing action will be effected, and means independent fromthe roll-rotating means for maintairr ing the roll yieldingly pressedagainst the work. r

2. In a machine for pressing seams, the combination with a work support,of a seampressing roll, means to move said roll over said work support,means to rotate said roll positively as it is thus moved and at a fasterspeed than that which would result from its rolling contact with thework whereby an ironing effect is produced, and adjustable means formaintaining said roll yieldingly pressed against the work on the worksupport. I i

3. In a device for pressing seams, the combination with a work support,of a seam.- pressing roll, means to move said roll bodily over said worksupport and in contact with the seam to be pressed, and means actuatedby such bodily movement to rotate the roll positively as it. is movedbodily but at a speed different from that which would be produced by therolling contact between said roll and the work whereliiy an ironingaction is produced.

4t. In a machine for pressing seams, the combination with a worksupport, of a scampressing roll, means to move said roll over said worksupport, and means actuated by such movement of the roll relative to thework support to rotate the roll positively as it is thus moved and at a.faster speed than that which, would result from its rolling (ontact withthe work whereby an ironing etiect is produced.

5. In a machine for pressing seams, the combinatimi with a work supporthaving a scamsupporting edge, of a presser roll, means to move saidpresser roll bodily along said edge over which the seam to be pressedmay be placed, and means to rotate the roll during its bodily movementat a speed faster than that which would result from its roll .lngcontact with the work support.

6. In a machine for pressing scams, the combination with a frame havinga guiding l lOl'lllOll, of a work-supporting arm secured to said f 'ame,a carriage slidably mounted on said guiding portion, a presser rolljournaled in said carriage, means to move the carriage thereby to movethe roll longitudinally of the work-supporting arm, and means to rotatesaid roll positively during its bodily movement.

7. In a machine for pressing seams, the combination with a frame havinga guiding portion, of a work-su )port-ing arm secured to said frame, acarriage slidably mounted on said guiding portion, a pi'esserrolljournaled in said carriage, means to move the carriage thereby to movethe roll longitudinally of the work-supporting arm, and means actuatedby the movement of the carriage to rotatesaid roll positively during itsbodily movement and at a speed greater than that which would result fromits frictional contact with said work-supporting arm.

8. In a machine for pressing seams, the combination with a frame havinga guiding portion, of a work-supporting arm, a carriage slidably mountedon said guiding portion, a presser roll journaled in said carriage, arack extending longitudinally of the guiding portion, and .a connectionbetween said rack and presser roll by which the presser roll ispositively rotated as the carriage is moved.

' 9. In a machine for pressing seams, the combination with awork-supporting arm having a curved work-sustainingedge, of a presserroll. means to move said roll longitudinall of said edge, and tomaintain it in contact with the work sustained by said of the rollto'positively rotate the latter at,

such a speed relative to its movement longitudinally of the edge as toproducea slipping actionbetwecn the roll and the work.

10. In a machine for pressing seams, the combination with a frame havinga guiding portion provided with a guiding slot, of a work-supportingarmhaving a curved worksustaining edge, a carriage slidably mounted onsaid guiding portion of the frame and guided by the slot therein, apresser roll yieldingly sustained in said carriage, means to move thecarriage longitudinally of the work-supporting arm, and means tocausethe roll to follow the curvature of the worksustaining edge during themovement of the carriage. I

11. In a machine for pressing seams, the combination with a work supporthaving a curved scam-supporting edge over which the seam to be pressedmay be placed. of a presser roll, means to move said roll bodily alongsaid edge, and means to rotate the roll during its bodily movement at aspeed different from that which would result'trom its rolling contactwith the work.

12. In a machine for pressing seams, the

' combination with a work support having a curved SGflDl-SHPPOltlHQ;edge over which the seam to be pressed may be placed, of a presser roll,means to move said presser roll bodily. along said edge, means tomaintain n'aled in the holder and adapted to operate 1 on the seam, andmeans for rotating said roll. positively as the carriage moves.

14. In a machine for pressing seams, the combination with a worksupport'having a seam-supporting edge over which a seam to be pressedmay be placed, of a carriage. means to move the carriage longitudinallyof the scant-supporting edge, a holde mounted in said carriage, apresser roll journaled in theholder and adapted to operate on the seam,and means actuated by the movement of the carriage torotate said rollpositively as the carriage. movesv 15. In a machine for pressing seams,the combination with a work support having a curved seam-supporting edgeover which a scam to be pressed may be placed, of a presser roll, meansto move said presser roll bodily along sald edge, and means'actuated bythe bodily movement of said roll to rotate the roll positively and at aspeed different from that which would result from its engagement Withthe work. i

16. In a machine for pressing seams, the combination with a framehavinga guiding portion, of a work-supporting arm secured to said frame,a carriage slidably mounted on said guiding portion, a holdersustainedin said carriage for movement relative there to in a direction at rightangles to the movement of the carriage, a roll journaled in said holder,means to maintain the roll yieldingly pressed against the work on saidarm, and means to vibrate the carriage on said guiding portion.

17 In a machine for pressing seams, the combination with a frame havinga guiding portion, of a work-supporting arm secured to said frame, acarriage slidably mounted on said guiding portion, a holder sustained insaid carriage for movement relative thereto in a direction at rightangles to the movement of the carriage, a roll journaled in said holder,means to maintain the roll yieldingly pressed against the work on saidarm, means to vibrate the carriage on said guiding portion, and means torotate said roll positively during the movement of the carriage.

18. In a machine for pressing seams, the combination with a frame havinga guiding portion, of a work-supporting arm secured to said frame, acarriage slidably mounted on said guiding portion, a holder sustained insaid carriage for movement relative thereto in a direction at rightangles to the movement of the carriage, a roll j ournaled in saidholder, means to maintain the roll yieldingly pressed against the workon said arm, means to vibrate the carriage on said guiding portion, andmeans actuated by the movement of the carriage to rotate said rollpositively during its bodily movement.

. riage, a presser roll journaled in said holder,

and means to move the carriage on its guiding portlon, sald frame havmga guiding .edge by which the position of the holder relative to thecarriage is controlled.

20. In a machine for pressing seams, the combination with a frame havinga guiding portion, of a work-supporting arm having a curvedwork-sustaining edge, a carriage slidably mounted on said guidingportion, a holder sustained by said carriage for movement relativethereto in a direction at right angles to the movement of the carriage,a presser roll journaled in said holder, and means to move the carriageon said guiding portion, said holder having a laterally-extendingprojection and said frame having a guiding edge engaging said projectionand by which the position of the holder relative to the carriage iscontrolled.

21. In a machine for pressing seams, the combination with a frame havinga guiding portion, of a carriage slidably mounted on said guidingportion, a work-supporting element having a work-sustaining edge whichis non-parallel with the line of movement of the carriage, a holdermounted in said carriage, a presser roll journaled in the holder, andmeans to cause the presser roll to have a yielding engagement with thework sustained on said edge as the carriage moves.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

THOMAS QUINN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,260,803, grantedMarch 26,

1918, upon the application of Thomas Quinn, of Milford, Massachusetts,for an improvement in Machines for Pressing Seams, errors appear in theprinted specification requiring correction as follows: Page 4, line 18,claim 5, after the word edge insert the words over which the seam to bepressed may be placed; same page and claim, lines 20 and 21, strike outthe words over which the seam to be pressed may be placed; and that thesaid Letters Patent should be read With these corrections therein thatthe same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 23d day of April, A. D., 1918.

[SEAL] F. W. H. CLAY,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. Cl. 69-7.

